Practical:

Date: Page No:

AIM: - Study of enzymatic hydrolysis of starch.

REFERENCES: -
‘’Principle of biochemistry’’ by lehringes and ‘’biochemistry’’ by
Satyanarayana.
REQUIREMENTS: -
Glassware: Test tube, Flask, Pipette, Stir rod.
Chemicals: Starch, Phosphate buffer solution, Iodine solution.
PRINCIPLE:
Starch is mainly composed of two parts:
Amylose: a linear polymer made up of α-1-4 bound D-glucose units. This
polysaccharide is making up approximately 20-30% of the structure.
Amylopectin: a polysaccharide with highly branched polymer of α-1-6 bo
und glucose units. Amylase is an enzyme that hydrolysis alpha-bonds of la
rge alpha– linked polysaccharide such as starch and glycogen, yielding ma
ltose and dextrin. It is the major form of amylase found in humans and oth
er mammals.
Amylase is found in saliva. This form of amylase is also called "ptyalin". T
he enzyme randomly affects α-1-6 bonds that belong to the amylopectin str
ucture of starch. As a result of hydrolysis carried out with α-amylase, besid
es the maltose and glucose units, a large branched dextrin structure is form
ed in the media.

The optimum conditions for α-amylase:

 Optimum oH: 5.6-6.9
 Human body temperature:37ºC.
 Presence of certain anions and activators:
Ø Chloride and bromide- most effective
Ø Iodide- less effective
 Ø Sulphate and phosphate- least effective
PROCEDURE: Part-A
 Add 1 ml of 1% starch solution and 1 ml phosphate buffer solution (pH =
6.8) into 4 test tubes.
 Place each test tube into water baths at 0ºC,25ºC,37ºC and 95Cº, respecti
vely.
 Wait for a few minutes and add 1 ml diluted (1/10) saliva into each test tu
be.
 Place 1 drop of iodine solution on 4 watch glasses and take 1 drop from e
ach test tube to observe if there is any starch left (Starch gives blue colou
r with iodine solution).
 Record the time for the hydrolysis of 1 me starch in each test tube.
PROCEDURE: Part -B
 Take 7 test tubes and prepare the following solutions.
 Shake each test tube thoroughly.
 Check each mixture for colour with iodine per minute.
 Record colour changes.
Reagent T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
1%Starch solution 0.2 mL 0.5 mL 1mL 2 mL 31mL
mL 5 mL
Distilled water 4.8 mL 4.5 mL 4 mL 3 mL 2 mL 1 mL 0 mL
Phosphate Buffer 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL
Saliva 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL 1 mL
(1/20 diluted)